Proposal and Validation of a Clinically Relevant Modification of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation Diagnostic Criteria for Sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Japanese Association for Acute Medicine (JAAM) disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) criteria were launched nearly 20 years ago. Following the revised conceptual definition of sepsis and subsequent omission of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) score from the latest sepsis diagnostic criteria, we omitted the SIRS score and proposed a modified version of JAAM DIC criteria, the JAAM-2 DIC criteria. OBJECTIVES: To validate and compare performance between new JAAM-2 DIC criteria and conventional JAAM DIC criteria for sepsis. METHODS: We used three datasets containing adult sepsis patients from a multicenter nationwide Japanese cohort study (J-septic DIC, FORECAST, and SPICE-ICU registries). JAAM-2 DIC criteria omitted the SIRS score and set the cutoff value at ≥3 points. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed between the two DIC criteria to evaluate prognostic value. Associations between in-hospital mortality and anticoagulant therapy according to DIC status were analyzed using propensity score weighting to compare significance of the criteria in determining introduction of anticoagulants against sepsis. RESULTS: Final study cohorts of the datasets included 2,154, 1,065, and 608 sepsis patients, respectively. ROC analysis revealed that curves for both JAAM and JAAM-2 DIC criteria as predictors of in-hospital mortality were almost consistent. Survival curves for the anticoagulant and control groups in the propensity score-weighted prediction model diagnosed using the two criteria were also almost entirely consistent. CONCLUSION: JAAM-2 DIC criteria were equivalent to JAAM DIC criteria regarding prognostic and diagnostic values for initiating anticoagulation. The newly proposed JAAM-2 DIC criteria could be potentially alternative criteria for sepsis management.

Efficacy of antithrombin administration for patients with sepsis: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression.

Aims: There have been inconsistent reports regarding the effect of antithrombin on sepsis; furthermore, there are limited reports on how dosage affects therapeutic efficacy. Thus, we aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the use of antithrombin for sepsis and a meta-regression analysis of antithrombin dosage. Methods: We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies of adult patients with sepsis who received antithrombin. Outcomes included all-cause mortality and serious bleeding complications. Statistical analyses and data synthesis were performed using a random-effects model; further, meta-regression and funnel plots were used to explore heterogeneity and biases. Results: Seven RCTs and six observational studies were included. Most patients in the RCTs and observational studies had severe sepsis and septic-disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), respectively. A meta-analysis using RCTs showed no significant differences in mortality between the antithrombin and control groups. However, the meta-analysis of observational studies indicated a trend of decreasing mortality rates with antithrombin administration (odds ratio [OR], 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68-0.92; p = 0.002). Bleeding complications were significantly higher in the antithrombin group than in the control group in both study types (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.52-2.37; p < 0.01). The meta-regression analysis showed no correlation between antithrombin dosage and mortality. Conclusion: A meta-analysis of RCTs confirmed no survival benefit of antithrombin, whereas that of observational studies, which mostly focused on septic DIC, showed a significant beneficial effect on improving outcomes. Indications of antithrombin should be considered based on its beneficial and harmful effects.

COAGULOPATHY PARAMETERS PREDICTIVE OF OUTCOMES IN SEPSIS-INDUCED ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME: A SUBANALYSIS OF THE TWO PROSPECTIVE MULTICENTER COHORT STUDIES.

ABSTRACT: Background: Although coagulopathy is often observed in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), its clinical impact remains poorly understood. Objectives: This study aimed to clarify the coagulopathy parameters that are clinically applicable for prognostication and to determine anticoagulant indications in sepsis-induced ARDS. Method: This study enrolled patients with sepsis-derived ARDS from two nationwide multicenter, prospective observational studies. We explored coagulopathy parameters that could predict outcomes in the Focused Outcome Research on Emergency Care for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Sepsis, and Trauma (FORECAST) cohort, and the defined coagulopathy criteria were validated in the Sepsis Prognostication in Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Room-Intensive Care Unit (SPICE-ICU) cohort. The correlation between anticoagulant use and outcomes was also evaluated. Results: A total of 181 patients with sepsis-derived ARDS in the FORECAST study and 61 patients in the SPICE-ICU study were included. In a preliminary study, we found the set of prothrombin time-international normalized ratio ≥1.4 and platelet count ≤12 × 10 4 /µL, and thrombocytopenia and elongated prothrombin time (TEP) coagulopathy as the best coagulopathy parameters and used it for further analysis; the odds ratio (OR) of TEP coagulopathy for in-hospital mortality adjusted for confounding was 3.84 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.66-8.87; P = 0.005). In the validation cohort, the adjusted OR for in-hospital mortality was 32.99 (95% CI, 2.60-418.72; P = 0.002). Although patients without TEP coagulopathy showed significant improvements in oxygenation over the first 4 days, patients with TEP coagulopathy showed no significant improvement (ΔPaO 2 /FiO 2 ratio, 24 ± 20 vs. 90 ± 9; P = 0.026). Furthermore, anticoagulant use was significantly correlated with mortality and oxygenation recovery in patients with TEP coagulopathy but not in patients without TEP coagulopathy. Conclusion: Thrombocytopenia and elongated prothrombin time coagulopathy is closely associated with better outcomes and responses to anticoagulant therapy in sepsis-induced ARDS, and our coagulopathy criteria may be clinically useful.

Persistent and Late-Onset Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation Are Closely Related to Poor Prognosis in Patients with Sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Septic-associated disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is heterogeneous regarding prognosis and responsiveness to anticoagulant therapy. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between the timing of development and recovery of DIC, its prognosis, and the difference in response to anticoagulant therapy in sepsis-associated DIC patients. METHODS: This study was performed with a dataset from a multicenter nationwide retrospective cohort study (J-Septic DIC registry) in Japan between 2011 and 2013 to reveal the subgroup "high risk of death in DIC" and investigate the relationship between anticoagulant use and mortality. Patients were assigned to four groups based on the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis-overt DIC status at days 1 and 3: non-DIC (-/-), early-recovered DIC (+/-), late-onset DIC (-/+), and persistent DIC (+/+). RESULTS: A total of 1,922 patients were included. In-hospital mortality in persistent and late-onset DIC patients was significantly higher than in patients with non-DIC and early-recovered DIC. This finding indicates that persistent DIC and late-onset DIC were a poor-prognosis subgroup, "high-risk" DIC. Meanwhile, patients with high-risk DIC treated with anticoagulants had significantly better outcomes than those without anticoagulants after adjusting for confounding factors. CONCLUSION: This study showed that individuals with a high risk of death, persistent DIC, and late-onset DIC were a poor-prognostic subgroup in septic DIC; however, high-risk DIC is also a subgroup that can obtain more benefits from anticoagulant therapy.

Safety and efficacy of physician-modified thoracic endovascular aortic repair using a low-profile device for aortic arch lesions.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the safety and efficacy of physician-modified thoracic endovascular aortic repair using a low-profile device for aortic arch lesions. METHODS: A total of 42 consecutive patients (mean age 67.2 ± 12.7 years; 32 men) with aortic arch lesions were treated by physician-modified thoracic endovascular aortic repair using a low-profile device (Zenith Alpha Thoracic Endovascular Graft) with four scallops or 13 fenestrations for the common carotid artery and 38 fenestrations or 30 branches for the left subclavian artery. The aortic repair indications were acute type B aortic dissection (n = 17, 40.5%), degenerative aneurysm (n = 14, 33.3%), chronic dissection aneurysmal degeneration (n = 4, 9.5%), and ulcer-like projection (n = 2, 4.8%). The mean iliac artery diameter was 7.6 ± 1.1 mm. RESULTS: There were no branches covered unintentionally or patients who died and suffered from severe spinal cord ischemia perioperatively. One patient (2.4%) experienced a postoperative minor stroke with full neurological recovery. The mean follow-up time was 18 ± 11 months, with 28 patients (66.7%) having at least 12 months. One access-related complication (2.4%) occurred. Two residual Ia (4.8%) and three residual IIIa (7.1%) endoleaks were treated by reintervention. There were no open repair conversions, ruptures, or other aortic complications. CONCLUSION: Physician-modified thoracic endovascular aortic repair using the low-profile device may be a safe, feasible, and time-saving method for preserving the cervical artery and has high reproducibility and anatomical reconstruction. However, its durability requires long-term follow-up.

Early symptoms preceding post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome following COVID-19: a retrospective observational study incorporating daily gastrointestinal symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal microinflammation with immune dysfunction due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 reportedly precipitates post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome. This study aimed to elucidate potential risk factors for subsequent development of irritable bowel syndrome, hypothesizing that it is associated with specific symptoms or patient backgrounds. METHODS: This single-center retrospective observational study (2020-2021) included adults with confirmed coronavirus disease requiring hospital admission and was conducted using real-world data retrieved from a hospital information system. Patient characteristics and detailed gastrointestinal symptoms were obtained and compared between patients with and without coronavirus disease-induced irritable bowel syndrome. Multivariate logistic models were used to validate the risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome. Moreover, daily gastrointestinal symptoms during hospitalization were examined in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. RESULTS: Among the 571 eligible patients, 12 (2.1%) were diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome following coronavirus disease. While nausea and diarrhea during hospitalization, elevated white blood cell count on admission, and intensive care unit admission were associated with the development of irritable bowel syndrome, nausea and diarrhea were identified as risk factors for its development following coronavirus disease, as revealed by the adjusted analyses (odds ratio, 4.00 [1.01-15.84] and 5.64 [1.21-26.31], respectively). Half of the patients with irritable bowel syndrome had both diarrhea and constipation until discharge, and constipation was frequently followed by diarrhea. CONCLUSIONS: While irritable bowel syndrome was rarely diagnosed following coronavirus disease, nausea and diarrhea during hospitalization precede the early signs of irritable bowel syndrome following coronavirus disease.

Total arch replacement with extended branched stented anastomosis frozen elephant trunk repair for type A dissection improves operative outcome.

Objective: Emergency surgical repair is the standard treatment for acute aortic dissection type A. However, the surgical risk of total arch replacement remains high. The Viabahn Open Revascularization TEChnique has been used for supra-aortic reconstruction during total arch replacement. This Cleveland Clinic technique is called "branched stented anastomosis frozen elephant trunk repair." Our total arch replacement with reconstructed extended branched stented anastomosis frozen elephant trunk repair requires no unnecessary cervical artery exposure. We compared the outcomes of extended branched stented anastomosis frozen elephant trunk repair and conventional total arch replacement in acute aortic dissection type A. Methods: We compared the clinical course of patients undergoing total arch replacement using sutureless direct branch vessel stent grafting with frozen elephant trunk (extended branched stented anastomosis frozen elephant trunk repair) for acute aortic dissection type A with patients undergoing conventional total arch replacement. For the procedure, the aortic arch was transected circumferentially distal to the brachiocephalic artery origin. Frozen elephant trunk was fenestrated by heating with a cautery, and the self-expandable stent graft was delivered into the branch vessels through the fenestration. Results: Of 58 cases, 21 and 37 were classified in the extended branched stented anastomosis frozen elephant trunk repair and conventional total arch replacement groups, respectively. The times (minutes) of selective antegrade cerebral perfusion (75 ± 24, 118 ± 47), total operation (313 ± 83, 470 ± 151), and cardiopulmonary bypass (195 ± 46, 277 ± 96) were significantly better in the extended branched stented anastomosis frozen elephant trunk repair group (P < .001). Six surgical deaths occurred: 2 (9%) in the extended branched stented anastomosis frozen elephant trunk repair group and 4 (10%) in the conventional total arch replacement group. In all cases, only 1 patient (2%) in the conventional total arch replacement group had a branch artery-related complication during the postoperative follow-up period. In the extended branched stented anastomosis frozen elephant trunk repair group, blood product use significantly decreased (P < .05). Conclusions: Extended branched stented anastomosis frozen elephant trunk repair has shown comparable safety and efficacy to conventional total arch replacement and can be used for acute aortic dissection type A emergency repair. It optimizes true lumen perfusion and facilitates supra-aortic artery remodeling.

A surgical sealant, AQUABRID decreased the volume of intraoperative blood transfusions and operative time for acute aortic dissection repair.

BACKGROUND: The effect of the surgical sealant AQUABRID on outcomes after acute aortic dissection repair has not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to examine whether the use of AQUABRID affects the volume of intraoperative blood transfusion or operative time in patients undergoing emergency surgery to repair acute aortic dissection. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective cohort study from January 2007 to December 2021. A total of 399 patients underwent emergency acute aortic dissection repair. Propensity score matching was used to adjust for the type of surgery and other patient characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 387 of the eligible 399 patients were included in this study and propensity score matching yielded 94 patients for whom characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. The type of surgery was exactly matched (ascending aorta replacement: 19 [40%]; partial arch replacement: 13 [28%]; total arch replacement: 15 [32%] in each group). Within the matched cohort, there was a statistically significant difference in the volume of intraoperative blood transfusion. (AQUABRID vs. control: 34 [26-38] vs. 50 [38-60] U in Japan, p = .03). Operating time was significantly shorter in the AQUABRID group (total operation: mean ± SD, 343 ± 92 vs. 402 ± 161 min, p = .03; reconstruction for arch vessels: 29 ± 17 vs. 56 ± 22, p < .01). The rate of postoperative complications was comparable in the two groups. Failure to use AQUABRID was a significant predictor of the need for massive transfusion (>40 U) (odds ratio: 7.20; 95% confidence interval: 2.56-20.23; p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: The use of AQUABRID during emergency acute aortic dissection repair significantly decreased the volume of intraoperative blood transfusion and the duration of surgery.

Perioperative clinical parameters associated with short-term mortality after colorectal perforation.

PURPOSE: Although early prediction of mortality is useful for the management of patients with colorectal perforations, no significant perioperative predictive factors have been identified. The purpose of this study was to identify useful prognostic factors for patients with colorectal perforation. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study included consecutive patients undergoing emergency surgery for colorectal perforation from January 2012 to December 2019. The primary outcome was combined 30 day and in-hospital mortality. Patient- and disease-related factors obtained perioperatively were evaluated for mortality prediction. A scoring system was developed to enhance clinical utility. RESULTS: Overall, 146 patients were included and 20 (14%) died after surgery. Multivariate logistic regression identified five predictive factors: age, hemodialysis, uncommon perforation etiology, plasma albumin level, and decreased platelet count. The area under the receiver operating curve for the scoring system using these parameters was 0.894 (95% CI 0.835-0.952). Patients at high-risk of mortality were classified by the proposed score with a sensitivity of 90.0% and negative predictive value of 98.0%. CONCLUSION: This study identified five perioperative factors significantly associated with mortality of patients with colorectal perforation. Although these parameters predict mortality of patients with colorectal perforation using a score with high discrimination, further study is required to confirm these findings.

Pharmacological treatment to reduce pulmonary morbidity after esophagectomy.

Esophagectomy for esophageal cancer is one of the most invasive procedures in gastrointestinal surgery. An invasive surgical procedure causes postoperative lung injury through the surgical procedure and one-lung ventilation during anesthesia. Lung injury developed by inflammatory response to surgical insults and oxidative stress is associated with pulmonary morbidity after esophagectomy. Postoperative pulmonary complications negatively affect the long-term outcomes; therefore, an effort to reduce lung injury improves overall survival after esophagectomy. Although significant evidence has not been established, various pharmacological treatments for reducing lung injury, such as administration of a corticosteroid, neutrophil elastase inhibitor, and vitamins are considered to have efficacy for pulmonary morbidity. In this review we survey the following topics: mediators during the perioperative periods of esophagectomy and the efficacy of pharmacological therapies for patients with esophagectomy on pulmonary complications.

Antithrombotic drugs have a minimal effect on intraoperative blood loss during emergency surgery for generalized peritonitis: a nationwide retrospective cohort study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The effect of antithrombotic drugs on intraoperative operative blood loss volume in patients undergoing emergency surgery for generalized peritonitis is not well defined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of antithrombotic drugs on intraoperative blood loss in patients with generalized peritonitis using a nationwide surgical registry in Japan. METHOD: This retrospective cohort study used a nationwide surgical registry data from 2011 to 2017 in Japan. Propensity score matching for the use of antithrombotic drugs was used for the adjustment of age, gender, comorbidities, frailty, preoperative state, types of surgery, surgical approach, laboratory data, and others. The main outcome was intraoperative blood loss: comparison of intraoperative blood loss, ratio of intraoperative blood loss after adjusted for confounding factors, and variable importance of all covariates. RESULTS: A total of 70,105 of the eligible 75,666 patients were included in this study, and 2947 patients were taking antithrombotic drugs. Propensity score matching yielded 2864 well-balanced pairs. The blood loss volume was slightly higher in the antithrombotic drug group (100 [10-349] vs 70 [10-299] ml). After adjustment for confounding factors, the use of antithrombotic drugs was related to a 1.30-fold increase in intraoperative blood loss compared to non-use of antithrombotic drugs (95% CI, 1.16-1.45). The variable importance revealed that the effect of the use of antithrombotic drugs was minimal compared with surgical approach or type of surgery. CONCLUSION: This study shows that while taking antithrombotic drugs is associated with a slight increase in intraoperative blood loss in patients undergoing emergency surgery for generalized peritonitis, the effect is likely of minimal clinical significance.

The provisional extension to induce complete attachment technique is associated with abdominal aortic remodeling and reduces aorta-related adverse events after aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the efficacy of the provisional extension to induce complete attachment (PETTICOAT) technique for type B and postoperative residual type B aortic dissections compared with the conventional thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) technique. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we compared sequential aortic morphologic changes in consecutive patients with type B and postoperative residual type B aortic dissections treated with the PETTICOAT technique between January 2016 and December 2017 with patients treated with the conventional TEVAR between January 2013 and December 2015. Outcomes included aortic remodeling and aorta-related adverse events for 2 years postoperatively. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were included in this study (24 in the PETTICOAT group, 24 patients in the conventional TEVAR group). Although both groups showed aortic remodeling in the descending thoracic aorta, the PETTICOAT group developed significantly better aortic remodeling in the abdominal aorta compared with the conventional TEVAR group during the observation period. The PETTICOAT group had significantly fewer aorta-related adverse events compared with the conventional TEVAR group (8% vs 54%; P < .001). Aorta-related adverse events more commonly occurred in the poor remodeling group compared with in the good remodeling group (P = .001; hazard ratio, 8.32; 95% confidence interval, 2.26-30.64). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the PETTICOAT technique for aortic dissection may promote aortic remodeling and decrease the incidence of aorta-related adverse events. Additional studies are required to confirm these preliminary findings.

Full PETTICOAT in acute type B aortic dissection with patent false lumen may offer positive remodeling for the distal aorta.

OBJECTIVE: The provisional extension to induce complete attachment (PETTICOAT) technique is a unique thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for aortic dissection, which consists of proximal descending aortic endografting plus distal bare-metal stenting. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the PETTICOAT technique in patients with acute-sub-acute complicated type B aortic dissections. In particular, we compared the remodeling effect of full PETTICOAT covering down to the abdominal aorta with that of simple entry closure. METHODS: In this retrospective pre-post study, we compared the clinical course of consecutive patients undergoing TEVAR with the PETTICOAT technique in which proximal entry tear was excluded with a covered stent, and extension bare stents were placed down to the abdominal segment for acute-sub-acute complicated type B aortic dissections, between 2015 and 2017, with a control group treated with TEVAR with entry closure between 2011 and 2015. Outcomes included the aortic remodeling rate and the aortic diameter up to 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: Subjects consisted of 47 patients (21 in full PETTICOAT group, 26 in the simple entry closure group). The remodeling rate of the abdominal aorta in the full PETTICOAT group was significantly higher than in the simple entry closure group (p < 0.05), while that of the thoracic aorta was comparable between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the full PETTICOAT technique achieves better aortic remodeling compared to entry closure alone, and might lead to less reintervention.

Efficacy of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation before surgery of a post-infarction ventricular septal rupture in cardiogenic shock.

A 73-year-old man with an acute myocardial infarction experienced severe cardiogenic shock due to an inferior ventricular septal rupture with a massive left-to-right shunt. Emergency surgery was considered a too high mortality risk. The patient was implanted with an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system as a bridge to surgery. On the seventh day after admission, the ventricular septal defect was successfully repaired. Our case study demonstrates that extracorporeal membrane oxygenation could be an option in cases of ventricular septal rupture as a bridge for stabilizing patients.

Hydrogen Gas Inhalation Attenuates Endothelial Glycocalyx Damage and Stabilizes Hemodynamics in a Rat Hemorrhagic Shock Model.

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen gas (H2) inhalation during hemorrhage stabilizes post-resuscitation hemodynamics, improving short-term survival in a rat hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation (HS/R) model. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of H2 in HS/R is unclear. Endothelial glycocalyx (EG) damage causes hemodynamic failure associated with HS/R. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that H2 alleviates oxidative stress by suppressing xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) and/or preventing tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF-α)-mediated syndecan-1 shedding during EG damage. METHODS: HS/R was induced in rats by reducing mean arterial pressure (MAP) to 35 mm Hg for 60 min followed by resuscitation. Rats inhaled oxygen or H2 + oxygen after achieving shock either in the presence or absence of an XOR inhibitor (XOR-I) for both the groups. In a second test, rats received oxygen alone or antitumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α monoclonal antibody with oxygen or H2. Two hours after resuscitation, XOR activity, purine metabolites, cytokines, syndecan-1 were measured and survival rates were assessed 6 h after resuscitation. RESULTS: H2 and XOR-I both suppressed MAP reduction and improved survival rates. H2 did not affect XOR activity and the therapeutic effects of XOR-I and H2 were additive. H2 suppressed plasma TNF-α and syndecan-1 expression; however, no additional H2 therapeutic effect was observed in the presence of anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody. CONCLUSIONS: H2 inhalation after shock stabilized hemodynamics and improved survival rates in an HS/R model independent of XOR. The therapeutic action of H2 was partially mediated by inhibition of TNF-α-dependent syndecan-1 shedding.

Mesenteric ischemia with pneumatosis intestinalis and portal vein gas associated with enteral nutrition: a series of three patients.

Enteral nutrition is usually associated with a low risk of intestinal complications. We report three non-critically ill patients who received enteral nutrition and developed mesenteric ischemia with pneumatosis intestinalis and hepatic portal vein gas. These findings are often considered to be indications for emergency surgery. In these three patients, prompt cessation of enteral nutrition avoided progression to intestinal necrosis obviating the need for intestinal resection, although one patient underwent surgical exploration. Follow-up computed tomography scan showed resolution of the radiologic findings, and all patients started enteral nutrition again without complications. All patients had comorbidities associated with atherosclerosis, which may have led to a mismatch between oxygen delivery and demand in the bowel, resulting in ischemia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of successful management of mesenteric ischemia related to enteral nutrition in non-critically ill patients without resection. If the cause of mesenteric ischemia such as enteral nutrition, can be eliminated quickly, non-resectional and possibly nonoperative management can be a reasonable management option, with close follow-up and readiness for resection.

Administration of Corticosteroids, Ascorbic Acid, and Thiamine Improves Oxygenation after Thoracoscopic Esophagectomy.

PURPOSE: The activity of corticosteroids, ascorbic acid, and thiamine against oxidative and inflammatory responses was evaluated in patients undergoing esophagectomy. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of this combined therapy on lung dysfunction following esophagectomy. METHODS: In this retrospective before-after study, we compared the clinical course of consecutive patients undergoing thoracoscopic esophagectomy treated with the combination of corticosteroids, ascorbic acid, and thiamine between June and December 2018 with a control group treated with corticosteroids alone between January 2016 and May 2018. Outcomes included oxygenation (arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2)/fractional concentration of inspired oxygen (FiO2) ratios), duration of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay. RESULTS: In all, 17 patients were included in this study (6 in the combination therapy group and 11 patients in the control group). Mean PaO2/FiO2 ratios in the combined therapy group were significantly higher than in the control group at all points during the observation period (p <0.001). In the combined therapy group, the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay were significantly shorter (p <0.001, p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that combined therapy including corticosteroids, ascorbic acid, and thiamine may be effective in improving oxygenation after esophagectomy. Additional studies are required to confirm these preliminary findings.

[A Case of Duodenal Perforation during Bevacizumab Combination Chemotherapy in a Patient with Multiple Lung Metastasis after a Sigmoidectomy].

A 73-year-old man underwent laparoscopic sigmoidectomy for sigmoid colon cancer. Two years after the operation, multiple lung metastasis was diagnosed and chemotherapy with bevacizumab, irinotecan, and TS-1®was started in the patient. However, epigastric pain developed 73 days after the initial course of chemotherapy. Abdominal CT revealed duodenal perforation and generalized peritonitis. Emergency operation with omental patch closure was immediately performed. The patient was discharged 15 days after the emergency operation without any complication. This is an extremely rare case of bevacizu- mab-related duodenal perforation.

Antithrombotic drugs do not increase intraoperative blood loss in emergency gastrointestinal surgery: a single-institution propensity score analysis.

Background: The use of antithrombotic drugs is increasing with the aging population. Prior to elective procedures, antithrombotic drugs are often discontinued. For emergency procedures in patients taking antithrombotic drugs, their effect cannot be attenuated which may lead to an increased risk of hemorrhagic events. However, there are few studies showing increased intraoperative blood loss in patients taking antithrombotic drugs who undergo emergency gastrointestinal surgery. The aim of this study is to determine whether the use of antithrombotic agents increases intraoperative blood loss in emergency gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent emergency abdominal surgery between January 2013 and December 2017 was conducted. The primary outcome measure was intraoperative blood loss. Patients were divided into the antithrombotic drug group and a control group, and a propensity score was developed using multivariate logistic regression. We use 1:1 propensity score matching analysis to compare outcomes between the two groups. Results: Of 1555 patients included in this study, 1184 patients, including 170 patients taking antithrombotic drugs, were eligible for propensity score matching analysis. A 1:1 matching yielded 117 well-balanced pairs. There was no statistically significant difference in intraoperative blood loss (antithrombotic drug group vs control group, median (interquartile): 60 (225-10) vs 100 (243-10) ml, p = 0.43). Conclusions: This study suggests that antithrombotic drugs do not increase intraoperative blood loss in patients undergoing emergency gastrointestinal surgery. Emergency gastrointestinal surgery for patients currently taking antithrombotic drugs can be performed safely, and the use of antithrombotic drugs is not a reason to delay surgical intervention.